In case you think I've given up knitting: I haven't. It is just slow going due to school. I try and knit a little here and there, plus some on the bus. My projects will get done...eventually.

So I decided that since my knitting time is precious that I should get the most out of my knitting and only work on projects that I truly enjoy with yarns that are worth it.

What I am currently working on is this:

It's called the Vernal Equinox Shawl (a free Ravelry library pattern)...which I fittingly started on the Vernal Equinox. I am using a yarn called Socrates (so I shall be even smarter while wearing this shawl)that is a dreamy blend of baby alpaca, merino wool, and bamboo. Even more shocking: it is not black, red, or grey.

This is my first full lace project. Oh I've started a couple lace scarves...but got bored because they were scarves and so they were frogged. So I had the concept of lace knitting down just hadn't completed any lace knitting. I am in love with lace knitting though. It's fun and engaging and much better than doing rows and rows of stockinette. I'm just over half done with the pattern so now that I'm not in school full time for summer I should be able to finish her up soon.

It is a Shetland lace shawl that is knit out of gossamer weight yarn (for the non-knitters gossamer weight is about the thickness of sewing thread). I have been looking at this shawl pattern for months and I think I'm actually crazy enough to attempt her. And not with any old yarn either...if I am going to drive myself that batty I'm using Cashsilk which is a cashmere/silk blend. I'm thinking if nothing else this shawl might be my knitting project for the rest of my college career.

Wasn't a total waste of time, got kind of boring in the middle, overall though I'd still rather watch the original.

Though it was pretty much what I expected since it was Rob Zombie's Halloween II. In other words would have half a chance of being a decent movie if Rob Zombie would ever learn that: 1) restraint and the implied horror to come is scarier (Though I give him credit he actually did hold back more than normal.) 2) your wife does not need to be in every movie you make. (Seriously...wtf with her and the horse?!)

Though I think we make movies announce who made the movie in the title for every movie. Then you would never have to worry about being disappointed again because you knew what you were in for before the movie even started.

For instance:

"Tim Burton's ..." : You will find both Johnny Depp and Helena Bohnam Carter if it is live action (and most likely one if not both of them even if it's animated), there will be lots of stripes, heads larger than the bodies, the story may be good (or not) but won't really matter because you will be sucked into the look of the film. You will find merchandise from the film at Hot Topic.

"James Cameron's..." : The story line won't be bad so much as totally predictable and feel the need to be moraly superior and preachy about a subject that everyone should know anyways (i.e. - colonializm is wrong!). Though it will be visually action packed and stunning so you won't even notice the movie plot actually could have been summed up in 10 minutes.

"Micheal Bay's..." : Just turn off the sound and watch things blow up in a really cool way. No need to worry about whether it's in THX or not...though HD would probably be a plus.

I'm telling you it would take some of the quess work out of movie reviewing...

I spent a good chunk of the afternoon just playing and testing. Seeing what the SD material would and wouldn't do before I actually attempted to spend much time on an actual piece.

I love the pendant..but I'm trying to decide if it's done or if I want to tweet it a bit.

Their were casualties:

Those were a couple charms that were starting to come out pretty cool....before they got over cooked. I had even more tragic trial and error failures...but I forgot to take pictures.

Frank though...he came out pretty cool. :) For you crafty types: The pendant is two pieces fused after shrinking. The image isn't a stamp, nor did I print it out btw. I traced a picture of boris karloff and then tweeked the coloring and shading. So I made the image on one...and shrunk an equal sized piece that had nothing on it. After they shrunk and cooled down I painted green glitter paint on the rough side of both pieces. Letting that dry for a bit I then placed them glitter side together and fused the pieces.

The fusing is the tricky part since they can go from "almost there" to "ACK! THEY ARE RUINED!" in a second. I kept a sharp eye out and turned down the heat just a bit.

I am now in the possession of actual shrinky dink brand shrinky dinks. :)

As well as an ink pad that will actually work on them...yay!

Though I did forget to get a black sharpie marker....booo. It's all good. I have some other markers that may work plus it's the kind that's rough on one side so I can use my colored pencils at the very least.

I think I'm going to spend the afternoon playing with these. :)

I also picked up some black and orange paint (for future halloween crafting), a few sponge paint brushed (so Arwen can help without me risking some of my better brushes), black enamel paint (for a craft project that Arwen and I are going to work on later)....and the best thing ever...

Twinkles Glitter Paint!!!!

Oh yes...it's one step beyond glitter glue (which I have a bit of an obsession with). Now I have four different glitter paints. This makes me so happy...and well...I probably can't be trusted with these but I don't care.

I still need to make a trip to JoAnnes for a couple other craft supplies (some jewelry findings, jump rings and such) but it can wait till later this week. In the meantime I have a bunch of new stuff to finally play with. :)

Yesterday Arwen got a package in the mail from her Memere (my Mom). Inside were some Fancy Nancy first reader books, a DVD of Beatrix Potter stories done in ballet (actually from her Grand-Memere) and then this:

I just found out about something called Wist recently. You go to their website and join up and it loads this thing to your toolbar. One link that says "My Wists" that links to your Wist list and one link that says "Add to Wists".

Basically it's a way to create a wishlist in one spot from anything you may find on the internet. You can create tags (for easy finding later) and has a place to write a comment (You can mention why you would like it or what you wisted the item for...ect.)

Very, very handy. I like it for two things: One for the random "I would like to buy you one day" wish listing. The other thing is the "Hey that's cool...and I bet I could make it myself" ideas.

I've been doing some more research into vintage american Halloween decorating, party ideas and the like.

I came across a really awesome website Vintage Halloween Ideas which specializes in Halloween ideas, history and information from the 1890's - 1960's.

Now I did know that at the turn of the century through the 1940's fortune telling of some sort was a big party of Halloween parties. Never really taken seriously it was a fun and games sort of thing usually involved around match making or ways to forsee your future spouse.

Though I found this tidbit of info enlightening (taken from a 1940's party idea guide):

The best for mystic rites is the barn; second best is an attic full of shadows; third best is a cellar into which guests descend immediately after removing wraps; fourth best is large hall;

lastly the kitchen.

If affair is held in barn, build a large bonfire in front for use of guests for after-supper sports. The place where the mysteries are performed should be decorated with gruesome things — jack-o'-lanterns, skulls and cross-bones, black draperies, witches made out of cardboard and suspended from the walls, cats, bats, owls, etc. The shades and spirits should flit about.

The kitchen? I get the barn, I get the attic, I agree the cellar would make a nice creepy place, a large hall...sure why not. The kitchen is next? Well I guess everything seems to gravitate thier anyways...might as well be where the spirits eventually end up too.

I finished another one of the embroidery blocks for my Alice quilt last night:

This one really didn't take that long...but I had put it down for a while and just picked it back up a couple days ago. I got most of the work done in two days. Though it took a little longer to stitch this than the Alice block because their were lots and lots of little pieces to work on. So I felt like I was constantly doing color changes.

It was fun though and I learned a couple new stitches: couching and interlaced running stitch.

I'm pretty happy with it. My stitches definatly got better as the block went on both in tension and being even. I will say that the satin stitch parts are pretty darn tricky...but I think they are a worth it for the contrast and effect. I just can't see using it on a large scale...that would drive me nuts!

I'm trying my hand at embroidery (again). Last summer I had transfered a few designs onto muslin with the idea that they would eventually become quilt squares. Somewhere along the line they got packed up and forgotten about. Well I rediscovered them and figured that this would be a good summer project...and hey...I already have all the supplies!

It's a nice break from the knitting...I just can't stay motivated to knit while it's hot. So far my first block is coming along nicely:

I made a couple mistakes but I don't think they would be noticed by anyone but me...so I'm not pointing them out. Since this is the first embroidery project I've ever done I'm not too worried about them though.

We shall see how this turns out. Unlike knitting it's a lot harder to take out your mistakes! Also it can be tricky sometimes to figure out which color you are supposed to be working in or how much detail you can get in a small space. Doing her eye was way tricky...but I think it came out ok. Though it goes much quicker than knitting which is also a bonus.

"There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs." - Alas, a blog

When we woke up Arwen found out the easter bunny had left her a very nice basket. Then we got all dressed up for church and headed out. Granted we were rained on the whole way there and back...but it's Seattle...whatcha gonna do?

After church they were holding an easter egg hunt so Arwen and I headed out and did that. It was Arwen's first egg hunt and she had a great time. Also thier was an Easter bunny handing out candy who gave Arwen a big hug.

We came home and Rob came over for a bit. Then Arwen napped while I got dinner ready. I made a spiced apple stuffed pork tenderloin rubbed with garlic, olive oil, rosemary , salt and ground pepper with mashed potatoes and cheese broccoli on the side. It was delicious.

After dinner Arwen and I dyed a dozen eggs. It was her first time doing that too and she was incharge of checking how done the color was and deciding when they came out of the dye. She had a lot of fun coloring all the eggs.

It's been a nice day of fun and relaxing...just how a holiday should be. :)

I'm not sure if 2009 is the "Year of Knitting/Crocheting for Me" or the "Year of Knitting/Crocheting Up All My Stash"....but so far I haven't had to buy any yarn for projects. Hey works for me.

I've been needing a small rug for my kitchen and decided that I'll just whip one up myself:

And the detail shot:

Project Details:

Pattern:Check Pattern in Easy Rugs to Crochet by Leisure ArtsYarn:Random red and white/ecru acrylics from my stashHook:PNotes:I only did two repeats of rows 4-9 and rows 10-13 instead of three so that the squares would be more square. Cut fringe down to two inches and didn't add the extra fringe.

I love the way this came out. It was a super quick project that I did lazily in four days. My kitchen is red and white 50's themed so this rug fits in perfectly.